Oh hey, how’s your brain today? Feeling hopeless like my friend Sarah up there over Roe being overturned? For sure.
Here’s where I’m at, and I don’t expect you to be here with me yet: We have to hope.
I’ve said this before in this space, but I think it bears repeating today. Because yeah, this decision comes down from the Robe Gods, and Joey B says, “Be peaceful, be peaceful,” and there are ACTUALLY people still saying, “Vote in November” right now in this very moment, so it’s easy to go, “Man, without access to a flamethrower, I think I’m pretty powerless here.”
Is a march or protest everything? OF COURSE NOT. But is it nothing? I don’t think so. Take it from my friend and political mentor Bettina, in text messages earlier today:
Rituals are for the living, the people doing them. It’s about being in community and feeling less alone and finding people.
To say gatherings don’t do anything in the long run to build power is like, “Aaaand??? So what?”
Lots of things don’t do that, but the more we are able to turn to others, feel less alienated, and less cynical, the better we will be. For the next fight, the next day, the next step forward.
You physically embody an alternative way of being and coming together that folks may find hard to forget. Seeing a police station burn down and having THAT poll higher than the president… People can’t say that’s impossible, because it happened.
The thing about getting involved in politics is: what is it? What is the substance of the things we’re trying to do?
Pass laws? Laws need enforcement.
Build systems? Systems need implementation.
Educate people? Ideas aren’t actions.
It’s easy to get bogged down in readings, voting guides, donations, or meetings and wonder if you’re even doing anything. The more time I spend doing the readings and going to the meetings, the more I realize what we’re actual doing is building relationships. That’s why “the work” can feel ephemeral, ‘cause you can’t point to a stack of relationships like you can a paper on a president’s desk or a brick through a station’s window. But fuck it, that’s just some shit we gotta recognize to move forward.
I’m here for relationships. Going to a protest tonight will deepen mine and hopefully show other people that there are hands outstretched, ready to take them to their abortions.
Got a response to something here? Want to work with me? Reply or comment, and I’ll hit you back.
THIS IS MY PODCAST, THIS IS YOUR AFTERLIFE
Parker Callahan is a comedian, and he’s so fucking funny. Like this:
And this:
And this too:
Content warning: mushrooms are aliens, platonic soulmates, sharks eating dead bodies, 2019 Diane Keaton vehicle Poms, chosen queer family.
Also, please call (313) MIST-URA and leave me a voicemail to play on the show! All the calls have been spam so far, and that is shit.
MOOD BOARD
If you’re in Chicago today, I’ll see you here at 5:30pm.
Weird one to follow up that first bullet point, but it’s true. The Bear is a new FX show that just dropped its entire first season on Hulu, and I’m in an episode! Episode 6, I believe, though I’m not there yet. Very odd show so far, and I’m stoked to have a resting sad face for 15 seconds of it (buddies did show me a clip of my part).
Can’t make it out today? Check out these threads or donate directly to your local abortion fund (or any abortion fund, really).
MAY I PLAY YOU A SOUND?
New Soccer Mommy sounds good so far. For some reason, it was the thing I wanted to listen to after hearing about the Roe decision, and “Shotgun” had the lyrics that I didn’t know I was looking for:
Whenever you want me, I’ll be around
I’m a bullet in a shotgun waiting to sound
Physically,
DM
An alternative way of being